Apparatus and methods for identifying a delivery item using an identification code

Abstract

Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for identifying a mailpiece in an identification code sorting system using an identification code. In one embodiment, an identification code is marked on a mailpiece. In this embodiment, the identification code is linked to an identification file containing identification information uniquely corresponding to the mailpiece.

1. A method of identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising the steps of:
 marking one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item; 
 creating an identification file corresponding to the identification code, where the identification file is read from the delivery item by a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on a delivery item sorting system related to a sender and at least one node on a sorting system related to a destination; and 
 using the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve information from the corresponding identification file for sorting the delivery item at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on the sorting system related to the destination. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a start code. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a class code. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises an origin optical character reader code. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a date code. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a time code. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a sequence code. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises a stop code. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code comprises:
 a start code; 
 a class code; 
 an origin optical character reader code; 
 a date code; 
 a time code; 
 a sequence code; and 
 a stop code. 
 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file comprises the identification code. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file comprises a postal code. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file comprises an image capture time. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file comprises a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file comprises:
 the identification code; and 
 a postal code. 
 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the postal code is a POSTNET code. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the postal code is a POSTNET code. 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 using the retrieved identification information to sort the delivery item at any node on the delivery item sorting system. 
 
   
   
     18. A system for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising:
 a marking component configured to mark one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item; 
 a creating component configured to create an identification file corresponding to the identification code, where the identification file is read from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on a sorting system related to a sender and at least one node on a sorting system related to a destination; and 
 a using component configured to use the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file for sorting the delivery item at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on the sorting system related to the destination. 
 
   
   
     19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a start code. 
   
   
     20. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a class code. 
   
   
     21. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises an origin optical character reader code. 
   
   
     22. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a date code. 
   
   
     23. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a time code. 
   
   
     24. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a sequence code. 
   
   
     25. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises a stop code. 
   
   
     26. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification code comprises:
 a start code; 
 a class code; 
 an origin optical character reader code; 
 a date code; 
 a time code; 
 a sequence code; and 
 a stop code. 
 
   
   
     27. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification file comprises the identification code. 
   
   
     28. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification file comprises a postal code. 
   
   
     29. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification file comprises an image capture time. 
   
   
     30. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification file comprises a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file. 
   
   
     31. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identification file comprises:
 the identification code; and 
 a postal code. 
 
   
   
     32. The system of  claim 28 , wherein the postal code is a POSTNET code. 
   
   
     33. The system of  claim 31 , wherein the postal code is a POSTNET code. 
   
   
     34. The system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a sorting component configured to use the retrieved identification information to sort the delivery item at any node on the delivery item sorting system. 
 
   
   
     35. A system for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising:
 means for marking one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item; 
 means for creating an identification file corresponding to the identification code, where the identification file is read from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on a sorting system related to a sender and at least one node on a sorting system related to a destination; and 
 means for using the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file for sorting the delivery item at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on the sorting system related to the destination. 
 
   
   
     36. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, the computer readable code comprising:
 a marking module configured to mark one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item; 
 a creating module configured to create an identification file corresponding to the identification code, where the identification file may be accessed from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on a sorting system related to a sender and at least one node on a sorting system related to a destination; and 
 a using module configured to use the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file for sorting the delivery item at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system including at least one node on the sorting system related to the destination. 
 
   
   
     37. A method of identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising the steps of:
 marking one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item on the one delivery item; 
 creating an identification file uniquely corresponding to the identification code and the one delivery item, where the identification file may be accessed from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system; and 
 using the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system. 
 
   
   
     38. A system for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising:
 a marking component configured to mark one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item on the delivery item; 
 a creating component configured to create an identification file uniquely corresponding to the identification code and the one delivery item, where the identification file may be accessed from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system; and 
 a using component configured to use the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file at a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system. 
 
   
   
     39. A system for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, using identification codes corresponding to identification files, comprising:
 means for marking one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item on the one delivery item; 
 means for creating an identification file uniquely corresponding to the identification code and the one delivery item, where the identification file may be accessed from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system; and 
 means for using the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file at any node on the delivery item sorting system. 
 
   
   
     40. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for identifying a plurality of delivery items in a delivery item sorting system, the computer readable code comprising:
 a marking module configured to mark one of the plurality of delivery items with an identification code that uniquely corresponds to the one delivery item on the one delivery item; 
 a creating module configured to create an identification file uniquely corresponding to the identification code and the one delivery item, where the identification file may be accessed from a plurality of nodes on the delivery item sorting system; and 
 a using module configured to use the identification code read from the delivery item to retrieve identification information from the corresponding identification file at any node on the delivery item sorting system.